Apparatus for feeding cut tobacco



Sept. 17, 1940. RUAU 2,215,408

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CUT TOBACCO Filed Dec. 25, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet l gm. 92M v aw u a Sept. 17, 1940. F RUAU 2,215,408

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CUT TOBACCO Filed Dec. 25, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 2Sept. 17, 1940. F. RUAU APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CUT TOBACCO Filed Dec. 25,1937 e Sheets-Sheet s Sept... 17, 1940. F. F. RUAU APPARATUS FOR FEEDINGCUT TOBACCO Filed Dec. 23, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 i fizz/enfors fKn Sept.17, 1940. F. F. RUAU Y APPARATUS FOR FEEDING CUT TOBACCO 6 Sheets-Shet 5Filed Dec. 23, 1937 Sept. 17, 1940. U 2,215,408

- APPARATI JS FOR FEEDING CUT TOBACCO Filed Dec. 23, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet6 MIIIIiZL 53 Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICEAPPARATUS FOR FEEDING CUT TOBACCO Flix Frdric Ruau, Deptford, London,England, assignor to Molins Machine Company Limited, Deptford, London,England Application December 23, 1937, Serial No. 181,437

, In Great Britain January 8, 1937 11 Claims.

' or a web of cigarette paper which moves along 'cigarette rod as whenthe width of the shower is comparatively narrow, say, 24 inches. Thereason for this is obvious, since the band or web, as the case may bemoves along the length of the shower and each point of the band or theweb receives an added amount of tobacco along the width of the shower.

The shower is formed by picking tobacco from a carpet of tobacco whichis spread over a wide surface moving transversely to its width, the

width of the surface being substantially equal to the length of theshower. Since it is necessary in order to obtain a good result, to havea sufiicient thickness of tobacco in the carpet from which the tobaccois so picked, it follows that the wider the carpet, the finer must bethe-picking for a given thickness of carpet. If therefore one desires tohave a coarser picking with a view to reduce breaking of the shreds oftobacco, it is necessary to revert to a narrower carpet, but by merelymaking the carpet narrower, the advantage of mixing of the tobaccoobtained by a wide carpet and long Shower is lost. If on the other handone desires to increase the amount of mixing and spreading this is onlypossible in known practice by still further increasing the length of thecarpet.

The object of the invention is to provide a tobacco feeding apparatuswhich in relation to known tobacco feeding apparatuses and for any givenwidth of final carpet from which the tobacco is finally delivered fromthe tobacco feeding apparatus will provide an increased amount of mixingand spreading of the tobacco shreds or particles prior to the completionof the final carpet.

The manner in which the tobacco is delivered from the final carpet formsno part of the pres-- ent invention since this operation may beperformed by any suitable means or process such,

for example, as by the well known picking process in which the tobaccois delivered in the form of a. shower or the tobacco may be delivered asstrips which are separated from the leading end of the final carpet by,for example, apparatus such as or similar to that described in thespecification of co-pending patent application No. 177,092.

According to the invention there is provided, tobacco feeding apparatuscomprising in combito shower the tobacco on to a transfer conveyor whichmoves below and along the length of the shower, a second movableconveyor and tobacco distributing means disposed between the transferconveyor and the said second conveyor and arranged to spread the tobaccodelivered by the transfer conveyor across the surface of the secondconveyor. 7

Further, according to the invention there is provided tobacco feedingapparatus comprising in combination means to feed tobacco from a supplyand to shower the tobacco on to atransfer conveyor which moves below andalong the length of the shower, a second movable conveyor disposed belowthe transfer conveyor to receive falling tobacco delivered by thetransfer conveyor and tobacco distributing means movable in the path ofthe tobacco falling towards the second conveyor tovary the downwarddirection in which the tobacco is falling and to spread the tobaccodelivered by the transfer conveyor acrossthe surface of the secondconveyor.

Still further according to the invention there is provided tobaccofeeding apparatus comprisingin combination means to feed tobacco from asupply and to shower the tobacco on to a transfer conveyor which movesbelow and along thelength of the shower, a second movable conveyordisposed below the transfer conveyor to receive falling tobaccodelivered by the transfer conveyor and tobacco distributing meansmovable in the path of the tobacco falling towards the second conveyor,said distributing means being arranged during the continued downwardmovement of the falling tobacco to vary the downward direction in whichthe tobacco is falling and to spread the tobacco delivered by thetransfer conveyor across the surface of the second conveyor.

The transfer conveyor may be moved at a relatively high linear speedwhereby the tobacco, thereon is, at the time when it is delivered by thetransfer conveyor, in the form of a relatively thin stream.

The distributing means may comprise a downnation means to feed tobaccofrom a supply and wardly directed movable tubular guide through whichtobacco from the transfer conveyor passes towards the second conveyor,and the tubular guide may be journalled for movement in a directiontransverse to the direction of movement of the second conveyor, meansbeing provided to effect such movement of the tubular guide.

An impeller (for example, a pin studded roller) may be disposed at theoutlet end of the tubular guide and movable therewith, such impellerbeing positively rotated in bearings and arranged to shower tobacco fromthe guide on to the surface of the second conveyor. The impeller may berotated by a flexible driving connection, which connection may becontrolled by a spring urged pivoted lever, the spring reacting againsta cam which determines the movement of the tubular guide.

In an alternative form the outlet end of the tubular guide may bemovable in a circular path above the second conveyor the outlet end ofthe guide being eccentric to the axis of rotation about which the guideis moved.

In a still further alternative form the tubular guide may be pivoted toa rotatable carrier, the outlet end of the guide being eccentric totheaxis of rotation of the carrier and a cam follower journalled on theguide may co-operate with a stationary cam whereby during rotation ofthe guide the cam causes the guide to move about its pivot so that thepath traversed by the outlet end of the guide is a substantiallyelliptical path whose major axis lies in the direction of movement ofthe second conveyor for the purpose of equalising the distribution oftobacco across the surface of the second conveyor.

Several embodiments of the invention will be described by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of tobacco feeding apparatus.

Figure 2 shows a part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 and is drawn toan enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a section onthe line 33, Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a detail of driving mechanism for some of the partsillustrated in Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 5 is a View looking in the direction of the arrow 5, Figure l.

Figure 6 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 6, Figure 4.

Figures 7 and 8 show further embodiments of the invention.

Figure 9 shows a still further embodiment of the invention.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the specificationand drawings.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6, a mass of tobacco is placed in a hopperII], which hopper may be replenished from time to time from a reservehopper II from which the tobacco is automatically moved at predeterminedintervals towards the hopper l0 bya pivoted flap I2. At the bottom ofthe hopper If! there is a movable feeding element 53 which is shown as arotatable carded roller. The feeding element I3 is operative both tosupport the mass of tobacco in the hopper and to move it against thesurface of a rotatable carded combing element I4, which combing elementremoves tobacco from the mass in the hopper I0 and carries it beneath arotatable carded brushing element I5. The brushing element I5 isarranged to sweep surplus'tobacco off the surface of the combing elementl4 and towards the mass contained in the hopper l0.

In the junction formed between the surfaces of the combing roller I4 andthe brushing roller I5 a small mass of tobacco may be maintained, andthis small mass of tobacco which extends along the length of the rollersis maintained in a substantially free condition by means of a rakingdevice IE which regulates the quantity of tobacco carried upwardly bythe combing roller I4 and periodically engages with the small mass oftobacco in order to loosen the same. A pressing device ii is arrangedperiodically to press the small mass of tobacco towards the carding ofthe combing roller I I to facilitate the filling of the carding of thatroller.

After passing the brushing element IS the tobacco which is in the formof a carpet on the surface of the combing element I4 is passed beneath acomb l8 and is engaged by a fast rotating picker roller I9 whichco-operates with the comb I8 to pick the tobacco from the surface of thecombing element and which showers the tobacco so that the tobacco isdirected downwardly towards a transfer conveyor 26. The transferconveyor 20 moves below the shower and along the length of the shower sothat the tobacco received on any-point of the transfer conveyorcomprises a mixture from all parts of the shower.

The transfer conveyor may comprise a single endless band which iscontinuously movable in one direction or as shown in Figure 3 thetransfer conveyor may comprise two endless bands 20 and 20A. The twobands 20 and 20A are continuously movable in opposite directions towardsa position substantially midway along the length of the shower. Thetransfer conveyor, 01' each of them, runs at the bottom of a chute andmoves in a direction which is parallel to the axis of rotation of thecombing element M.

The tobacco carried by the transfer conveyor or by each of them isdelivered thereby towards a second conveyor shown in Figures 1-3, as anendless band 2I which is arranged to move continuously in a directiontransverse to the direction of movement of the transfer conveyor 20.

Above the second conveyor 2| there is arranged distributing means whichcomprises a downwardly directed tubular guide 22. The inlet of thetubular guide is disposed beneath the position at which tobacco isdelivered by the transfer bands 26 and 20A. The band 20 or the bands 20and 20A are arranged to move at a relatively high linear speed, i. e., aspeed such that the tobacco received on the band or bands is at the timewhen the tobacco is delivered by the band or bands in the form of arelatively thin stream or streams.

At the outlet end, the tubular guide 22 is of concave form as indicatedby the reference numeral 23, and an impeller comprising a pin studdedroller 24 is journalled for rotation in bearings carried by the guide.The roller 24 is positively rotated by a flexible driving connectioncomprising a belt 25, see Figures 3 to 5. The belt 25 passes round arotatable pulley 26 which is driven from the main drive of the machineand over rotatable guide pulleys 21 and 28 supported by a lever 29pivoted at 30. The tension in the belt 25 is controlled by a spring 3|anchored to the arranged to cooperate with a cam 39. The cam 39 throughthe medium of the bell crank lever 31 and the flexible connection 36causes the tubular guide 22 to be oscillated about a vertical axis sothat the impeller will throw tobacco from side to side across the secondconveyor.

By reason of the movement of the guide 22 the downward direction ofmovement of the tobacco delivered by the transfer conveyor is variedand. the tobacco is spread across the second conveyor that is, in adirection extending from one longitudinal edge of the second conveyortowards the other longitudinal edge thereof thereby effecting asubstantially even distribution of the tobacco across the width of thesecond conveyor 2 The impeller 24 moves bodily with the tubular guide 22and the flexible driving connection 25 is provided to accommodate thismovement. As the impeller is moved together with the guide 22 due to theinfluence of the cam 39, the lever 29 moves about its pivot 3|], thusregulating the tension in the driving connection 25. The spring 3|reacts against the cam 39 and maintains the various parts in theirrelative positions. The flexible connection 36 is connected with thebellcrank lever 3'! by passing the connection through one of a series ofholes 40 formed in the bellcrank lever and making the connection fastthereto. The extent of oscillation of the tubular guide 22 can beregulated by passing the flexible connection 36 through the desiredhole.

Due to the action of the impeller 24 the tobacco which is passed throughthe tubular guide towards the second conveyor 2| is showered by theimpeller 24 towards the second conveyor.

Thus the impeller forms the tobacco into a carpet on the second conveyor2 l.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, it will be seen that the second conveyor2| is movable in a direction which is parallel to the direction ofmovement of the transfer conveyor 20, but in a direction oppositethereto. In this embodiment of the invention the tubular guide 22comprises a funnel like member which tapers from the inlet end to theoutlet end and the guide is mounted for rotation with a carrier 4| sothat the outlet end of the tubular guide moves through a circular pathabove the second conveyor 2|. so that the outlet end of the guide iseccentric to the axis of rotation of the guide. The carrier 4| issupported in a frame 42 by a ball race 43. To the carrier 4| there issecured a gear wheel 44 which meshes with a further gear wheel 45 whichlatter is driven from the main drive of the machine. The tobacco whichis delivered into the inlet end of the tubular guide by the transferconveyor 20 above described, passes from the transfer conveyor 20towards the guide 22 through a mouthpiece 46.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 9, thetubular guide 22 is constructed in a manner similar to that describedwith reference to Figures 7 and 8 and the transfer conveyor 20 deliverstobacco to the guide as above described. The construction shown inFigure 9, however, differs from the construction described withreference to Figures '7 and 8 in that the tubular guide is pivoted at 41to the carrier 4|. The tubular guide also supports a cam follower 48which is journalled in the tubular guide and which co-operates with astationary cam 49. A spring 50 is provided to maintain the cam followerin engagement with the cam 49. Rotation of the tubular guide is Theguide 22 is downwardly inclinedeifected in the 'manner'described withreference to Figures 7 and 8, but during the rotation of the tubularguide the cam 49 causes the guide so to be moved that instead of theoutlet end thereof following a circular path, the outlet end of theguide is moved through a substantially elliptical path, the major axisof which lies in the direction of movement of the second conveyor 2|. Bythis means the distribution of the tobacco across the surface of theband 2| is substantially equalised, where as it will be appreciated thatwhen the outlet end of the guide moves through a circular path moretobacco will be located at the sides of the second conveyor than will belocated towards the centre thereof.

In the constructions shown in Figures '7 and 8 and in Figure 9 it isimportant that the transfer conveyor 20 should be moved with arelatively high linear speed, i. e., a speed such that the tobaccoreceived on the conveyor is, at the time when the tobacco is deliveredby the transfer conveyor, in the form of a relatively thin streambecause in these constructions no impeller is employed. The impellerwill, it will be appreciated, tend to disentangle tobacco which may bedelivered thereto in the form of a mass, but when no impeller is usedthe tobacco will only be adequately spread across the second conveyorwhen the tobacco delivered to the distributor is already in the form ofa relatively thin stream.

It will be seen that by the constructions shown in Figures '7 to 9 thedownward movement of the tobacco delivered by the transfer conveyor iscontinuous and that the guide 22 is movable in the path of the tobaccoin a manner such that the downward path of the tobacco is varied thusspreading and mixing the tobacco across the surface of the secondconveyor.

In each of the constructions above described the tobacco carpet which isformed by spreading the tobacco across the surface of the secondconveyor is passed beneath a roller 5| and is received by the carding ofa roller 52 which carries the carpet over the surface of a concaveshroud 53. The tobacco is picked from the edge of the concave shroud bya fast rotating picker roller 54 and is showered in a manner such thatthe tobacco is directed downwardly towards a continuously moving surface55 arranged to move in the bottom of a trough 56 of a cigarette makingor a tobacco packaging machine. The surface 55 may comprise an endlessband or a continuous web of cigarette paper.

The second conveyor 2| is of substantial width as compared with thesurface 55 because obviously no material spreading could be obtained ifthe width of the conveyor 2| only approximates to that of a web ofcigarette paper. A second conveyor of such narrow width is not includedin the appended claims. Although in practice the width of the secondconveyor is generally upwards of 24", the invention of course is not tobe restricted to conveyors of widths of at least 24 inches. It issufficient if the *conveyor be wide enough to enable spreading to beobtained when the tobacco is thrown across it.

Tobacco which is carried by the second conveyor may be transferredtherefrom to the surface of a smooth roller such as is described inUnited States Patent No. 2,149,925, the tobacco which is so deliveredbeing thereafter treated in the manner described in that specificationto form it into a final carpet from which it is picked and showered intothe trough 5B or from which strips are cut by mechanism such as thatdescribed in the specification of co-pending application Ser. No.177,092.

It will be appreciated that if desired the smooth roller shown in UnitedStates Patent 2,149,925 may itself constitute: the second conveyor.

It will be seen that by reason of the fact that the transfer conveyorpasses below and along the length of a shower and the tobacco afterleaving the transfer conveyor is spread across the surface of the secondconveyor, the invention provides in relation to known tobacco feedingapparatus, an increased mixing and spreading of the tobacco particlesbefore the completion of the final'carpet from which it is to bedelivered from the tobacco feeding apparatus, either asa shower or inany other suitable way.

,WhatI claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Tobacco feeding-apparatus comprising in combination means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to a.transfer conveyor which moves below and along the length of the shower,a second movable conveyor, a downwardly directed movable tubular guidedisposed between the transfer conveyor and the second conveyor, saidguide be- 1 ing journalled for movement in a direction transverse to thedirection of movement of the second conveyor, an impeller journalled forrotation at the outlet end of said guide and mounted for movementtherewith, means positively to rotate said impeller so as to showertobacco from along the length of the shower, a second movable conveyor,a downwardly directed movable tubular uide disposed between the transferconveyor and the second conveyor, said guide being journalled forreciprocation in a direction 7, transverse to the direction of movementof the second conveyor, a cam to effect reciprocation of the guide, animpeller journalled for rotation at the outlet end of the guide andmounted for movement therewith, a flexible driving connection to rotatethe impeller, guide pulleys for the flexible connection, a pivotedsupport for some of the pulleys and a. spring connected with the supportand arranged to react against said cam to control the tension in theflexible connection.

3. Tobacco feeding apparatus comprising in \combination means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to atransfer conveyor which moves below and along the length of the shower,a second movable conveyor having an upper run, a support disposed 4.Tobacco feeding apparatus comprising in combination means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to atransfer conveyor which moves below and along the length of the shower,a second movable conveyor, a support disposed between the transferconveyor and the second conveyor, a carrier journalled for rotation inthe support, a downwardly directed tubular guide, pivoted to the carrierfor rotation therewith, the outlet end of the guide being eccentric tothe axis of rotation of the guide and movable over the second conveyor,a cam to move the guide about said pivot during rotation of the guidewhereby the path traversed by the outlet end of the guide is asubstantially elliptical-path whose major axis lies in the direction ofmovement of the second conveyor, and means to rotate said carrier.

5. Tobacco feeding apparatus comprising in combination, means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to atransfer conveyor which moves below and lengthwise of the shower, asecond movable band conveyor having an upper run and tobaccodistributing means disposed between the transfer conveyor and the saidsecond conveyor and substantially centrally of the width of the latter,and movable in a curved path substantially continuously during theoperation .of said second conveyor, the projection of which path upon aplane parallel to the second conveyor run curves crosswise of thedirection of movement of the second conveyor run, the distributing meansbeing thereby arranged to spread the tobacco received from the transferconveyor across the surface of the second conveyor.

6. Tobacco feeding apparatus comprising in combination, means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to atransfer conveyor which moves below and lengthwise of the shower, asecond movable band conveyor having .an upper run and tobaccodistributing means disposed between the transfer conveyor and the saidsecond conveyor and movable in a curved path substantially continuouslyduring the operation of said second conveyor, the projection of whichpath upon a plane parallel to the second conveyor run curves generallycrosswise of the direction of movement of the second conveyor run, thedistributing means being thereby arranged to spread the tobacco receivedfrom the transfer conveyor across the surface of the second conveyor.

'7. Tobacco feeding apparatus comprising in combination, means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to atransfer conveyor which moves below and lengthwise of the shower, asecond band conveyor having an Y upper run movable in a directiontransverse to'the direction of movement of the transfer conveyor andtobacco distributing means disposed between the transfer conveyor andthe said second conveyor and movable in a curved path substantiallycontinuously during the operation of said second conveyor, theprojection of which path upon a plane parallel to the second cconveyorrun curves generally crosswise of the direction of movement of thesecond conveyor run, the distributing means thereby being arranged todeliver the tobacco received from the transfer conveyor to the surfaceof the second conveyor run.

8. Tobacco feeding apparatus comprising in combination, means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to transferconveyor means which moves below and along the length of the shower, asecond movable band conveyor having an upper run and tobaccodistributing means disposed between the transfer conveyor means and thesaid second conveyor means and movable in a curved path substantiallycontinuously during the operation of said second conveyor, theprojection of which path upon a plane parallel to the second conveyorrun curves generally crosswise of the direction of movement of thesecond conveyor run, the distributing means being thereby arranged todeliver the tobacco received from the'transfer conveyor to the surfaceof the second conveyor run, said transfer conveyor means comprising twosurfaces movable in opposite directions and each delivering tobacco tothe distributing means.

9. Tobacco feeding apparatus comprising in combination, means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to atransfer conveyor which moves below and along the length of the shower,a second movable band conveyor having an upper run, a downwardlydirected movable tubular guide disposed between the transfer conveyorand the second conveyor, and means to move said guide in a curved pathsubstantially continuously during the operation of said second conveyor,the projection of which path upon a plane parallel to the secondconveyor run curves generally crosswise of the direction of movement ofthe second conveyor run, whereby the tobacco delivered from the transferconveyor is spread across said second conveyor run.

10. Tobacco feeding apparatus comprising in combination, means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to atransfer conveyor which moves below and along the length of the shower,a second movable band conveyor having an upper run, a downwardlydirected movable tubular guide disposed between the transfer conveyorand the second conveyor, said guide being journalled for movement in adirection transverse to the direction of movement of the second conveyorrun, and means to move said guide in a curved path substantiallycontinuously during the operation of said second conveyor, theprojection of which path upon a plane parallel to the second conveyorrun curves generally crosswise of the direction of movement of thesecond conveyor run, whereby the tobacco delivered from the transferconveyor is spread across said second conveyor run.

11. Tobacco feeding apparatus comprising in combination, means to feedshredded tobacco from a supply and to shower the tobacco on to atransfer conveyor which moves below and along the length of the shower,a second movable band conveyor having an upper run, a downwardlydirected movable tubular guide disposed between the transfer conveyorand the second conveyor, said guide tapering from its inlet end towardsits outlet end and being journalled for movement in a directiontransverse to the direction of movement of the second conveyor run andmeans to move said guide in a curved path substantially continuouslyduring the operation of said second conveyor, the projection of whichpath upon a plane parallel to the second conveyor run curves generallycrosswise of the direction of movement of the second conveyor run,whereby the tobacco delivered from the transfer conveyor is spreadacross said second conveyor run.

FELIX FREDERIC RUAU.

